• How to Get More In-Store Customers

How to Get More In-Store Customers

Your goal as a business owner is to use every asset at your disposal to the max. This means that if you have a brick and mortar location, you should be looking at how to leverage your physical presence to facilitate your business and marketing goals. This post covers tips, tricks, and tactics to to get as many people as possible coming through your doors and into your store.

How to Get More In-Store Customers

Ways to Get More In-Store Customers from Passersby

How many people pass by your store each day? Tens, hundreds, thousands? More importantly, out of those passersby, what percentage of people pop in to check out your store? Regardless of your answer to that last question, it’s safe to say there’s room for improvement. Why? Because not everyone who passes by comes in. Just like how not everyone that sees your website clicks on it. You can always increase the number of in-store visits you receive from people in your area. But how should you go about this? Consider five ways.

Create an Inviting Atmosphere

The appearance of your store can influence whether a person feels inclined to come inside. Imagine driving past a mediocre or unattractive storefront with no activity around it. Would you turn around and go inside? Would you even notice it? Not likely. A well-kept, lively, and attractive storefront, on the other hand, is warm and inviting, professional and secure. To attract more passersby, put in the effort to create a clean, pleasant, attractive atmosphere both inside and outside of your store.

Use Signs

You have several options for this, including window signs, boards, banners and so on. No matter your preference, don’t waste the space surrounding your store. Use it to attract people and to get them excited about what they will find and enjoy once inside.

Do you have a sale going on at the moment? Do you offer free wifi? Do you have a delicious menu? Do you sell popular products that are currently in high demand? Think about the things that set you apart from your competitors that you can use to attract passersby.

Promote Your Promotions

Promote your sales. Imagine driving by a pet store with only a banner saying, “Adoption Day! Your New Pet is Waiting Inside!” You can probably resist the temptation to go inside, but what if there were puppies playing right in the store window? If you’re running any sort of in-store promotion, be sure to make it loud and clear to people passing by. Make whatever you’re promoting visible by putting it on display for people to see.

Offer Something

People can’t pass up free things. If you give to them, they’ll be more likely to return the favor by checking out your store. Of course, you shouldn’t go overboard to the point that your livelihood is in danger. Yet, a free beverage, some branded swag,  or a sample of some sort may be enough to get people to pay you a visit. Realistically, what can you offer that potential customers will appreciate?

Hold and Advertise a Flash Sale

Flash sales give people a limited amount of time to take advantage of discounted prices. Advertising surprise flash sales using storefront signs creates the “now or never” mindset. This is exactly what you want to do—appeal to people’s fear of missing out.

Ways to Get More Intentional Store Visits

As for people who don’t physically pass by your business, how can you attract them? Consider four of the many ways you can do so.

Leverage Social Media

Social media is the online version of the signs you would use at your physical store location. All the things that you would share on your storefront signs, you can also share on social media (and therefore integrate your online and offline marketing strategies).

Get people interested in what you do and offer. Let them know about the perks of coming into your store. Post pictures of the inviting, appealing atmosphere that you’ve created as an incentive. Consistently build on the interest of your followers. This will increase the likelihood that they will visit you in-person.

Complete Your Directory Listings

When people need a local business like yours, they turn to the internet to find the best option. If you want to be the “best option,” you need to be visible in the places that people are most likely to look. Number one, of course, is Google. You can’t do without a Google My Business listing. Yet, you’ll also need listings on general directories like Yelp or those specific to your industry. There’s another essential element, though. What is it?

Encourage Customer Reviews

You need reviews. Word-of-mouth is powerful. People trust the recommendations and criticisms of people with similar needs and desires. So encourage your satisfied customers to write online reviews. The more positive reviews you get, the more trustworthy you appear to potential customers.

Rewards Programs

Why offer discounts, gifts and so on to your loyal customers? After all, they were already buying from you without all the perks. Rewarding your best customers will make them even more fierce in their loyalty. People continually support and keep coming back to the businesses that appreciate them most.

Start Driving Foot Traffic Today

Would you like to drive more coincidental and/or intentional traffic? You now have the blueprint to do it successfully. The sooner you get started implementing the methods above, the more traffic and sales you will see. Why not get started today?

Nia Gyant
Nia Gyant

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